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Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release 13 December 2024 at 22:30 EET Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 13.12.2024 Espoo, Finland – On 13 December 2024 Nokia Corporation (LEI: 549300A0JPRWG1KI7U06) has acquired its own shares (ISIN FI0009000681) as follows: * Rounded to two decimals On 22 November 2024, Nokia announced that its Board of Directors is initiating a share buyback program to offset the dilutive effect of new Nokia shares issued to the shareholders of Infinera Corporation and certain Infinera Corporation share-based incentives. The repurchases in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR), the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 and under the authorization granted by Nokia’s Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 started on 25 November 2024 and end by 31 December 2025 and target to repurchase 150 million shares for a maximum aggregate purchase price of EUR 900 million. Total cost of transactions executed on 13 December 2024 was EUR 3,680,494. After the disclosed transactions, Nokia Corporation holds 214,265,592 treasury shares. Details of transactions are included as an appendix to this announcement. On behalf of Nokia Corporation BofA Securities Europe SA About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future. Inquiries: Nokia Communications Phone: +358 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications Nokia Investor Relations Phone: +358 40 803 4080 Email: investor.relations@nokia.com Attachment Daily Report 2024-12-13By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Related Articles National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department’s operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. “Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.” Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation. “I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said. Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007. Before Biden’s commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states. “The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said. A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty. Berman said Trump’s statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape. “That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said. Before one of Trump’s rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line. One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before. The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl’s mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings. Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden’s decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision. Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. Trump emerges indisputably victorious, having successfully delayed the investigations through legal maneuvers and then winning re-election despite indictments that described his actions as a threat to the country's constitutional foundations. People are also reading... FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) J. Scott Applewhite “I persevered, against all odds, and WON," Trump exulted in a post on Truth Social, his social media website. He also said that “these cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought.” The judge in the election case granted prosecutors' dismissal request. A decision in the documents case was still pending on Monday afternoon. The outcome makes it clear that, when it comes to a president and criminal accusations, nothing supersedes the voters' own verdict. In court filings, Smith's team emphasized that the move to end their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” prosecutors said in one of their filings. They wrote that Trump’s return to the White House “sets at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: on the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law.” In this situation, “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated,” they concluded. Smith’s team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, said Americans “want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.” Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will start his second term free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) Brandon Bell But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. In dismissing the case, Chutkan acknowledged prosecutors' request to do so “without prejudice,” raising the possibility that they could try to bring charges against Trump when his term is over. She wrote that is “consistent with the Government’s understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office.” But such a move may be barred by the statute of limitations, and Trump may also try to pardon himself while in office. immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favored Trump’s strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith’s team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. Trump faced two other state prosecutions while running for president. One them, a New York case involving hush money payments, resulted in a conviction on felony charges of falsifying business records. It was the first time a former president had been found guilty of a crime. The sentencing in that case is on hold as Trump's lawyers try to have the conviction dismissed before he takes office, arguing that letting the verdict stand will interfere with his presidential transition and duties. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office is fighting the dismissal but has indicated that it would be open to delaying sentencing until Trump leaves office. Bragg, a Democrat, has said the solution needs to balance the obligations of the presidency with “the sanctity of the jury verdict." Trump was also indicted in Georgia along with 18 others accused of participating in a sprawling scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election there. Any trial appears unlikely there while Trump holds office. The prosecution already was on hold after an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Four defendants have pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors. Trump and the others have pleaded not guilty. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Michael Sisak and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story. ___ Special Counsel Jack Smith plans to step down before Trump’s inauguration, according to The New York Times. Straight Arrow News 12 political cartoons size up Donald Trump's Cabinet picks Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. George Walker IV, Associated Press Pam Bondi, Attorney General Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Derik Hamilton Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. Matt Rourke, Associated Press Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. AP Photo/Alex Brandon Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Matt Kelley, Associated Press Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Andrew Harnik, Associated Press Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Andrew Harnik, Associated Press Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. Andy Cross, The Denver Post via AP Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Evan Vucci Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. AP Photo/Evan Vucci Doug Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. John Bazemore, Associated Press Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Ted Shaffrey, Associated Press Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Evan Vucci, Associated Press John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Matt Rourke, Associated Press Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Jonathan Newton - pool, ASSOCIATED PRESS Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Andrew Harnik, Associated Press Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Oded Balilty, Associated Press Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Ted Shaffrey, Associated Press Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. John Bazemore, Associated Press Dr. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Matt Rourke, Associated Press Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Evan Vucci, Associated Press photos Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Additional selections to the incoming White House Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!Thamel: Bill Belichick, North Carolina and college football's new world
( MENAFN - IANS) Washington, Dec 25 (IANS) US President-elect Donald trump slammed outgoing President Joe Biden's decision to commute the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. "Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country. When you hear the acts of each, you won't believe that he did this. Makes no sense," Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. Trump's remarks came one day after Biden made the announcement that he was commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole, Xinhua news agency reported. "Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss," Biden said in a statement. "But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level," Biden said. "In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted," said the outgoing President. In another post Tuesday, Trump said that as soon as he is inaugurated, he will direct the Justice Department to "vigorously pursue the death penalty" to protect American families and children from "violent rapists, murderers, and monsters." "We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!" Trump said. The commutations are only for the 37 facing federal death penalty and not in the States. There are in all - including those on death row in the states - 2250 prisoners on death row across the US, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre, a non-profit organisation that says its mission is to serve the media, policymakers, and the general public with data and analysis on issues concerning capital punishment and the people it affects. MENAFN24122024000231011071ID1109028628 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Improvement in Financial Condition Allows Focus on Revenue Growth Austin, TX, Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Brands Group, Inc. ("DBG”) (NASDAQ: DBGI), a curated collection of luxury lifestyle brands, is pleased to provide an update to its shareholders regarding recent activities and future initiatives for growth as detailed below. Benefits to Net Income and Shareholder Equity The Company has made notable progress since May of 2024 in improving its financial condition, including through the elimination of $5.2 million in convertible notes, other debt, and aged accounts payable. Due to the elimination of interest expense from the above, we believe the Company's interest expense will decline by approximately $2.7 million a year from an estimated $3.1 million in fiscal year 2024 to an estimated $420,000 in fiscal year 2025. This should result in a net benefit of approximately $2.7 million in fiscal year 2025 to net income and cash flow. Most importantly, the company has come to a transition point regarding the elimination of the overhang in our shareholder equity associated with our prior acquisitions, as shown in the table below. The Company has experienced an estimated negative $42.3 million in net income expenses and shareholder equity over the last three years as shown in the table below, associated with interest expense and goodwill amortization and write-downs. We believe these expenses over the next two years will only be $2.5 million. Additional Benefits to Net Income In addition to the interest expense and goodwill amortization and write-downs noted above, the Company also reduced its general and administrative expenses by approximately $500,000 in the third quarter of 2024 versus the second quarter of 2024. The Company aims to continue to achieve additional savings in general and administrative expense associated with reductions in workforce, severance payments ending at year end, reduction of stock option expenses, and lower consulting and legal fees. Marketing Growth Initiatives Due to the reduction in debt, aged accounts payable and interest expense noted above, the Company is focusing on investing in growth marketing initiatives, including recent announcements highlighting the Company's digital marketing results. Due to the recent success of these results as previously disclosed, we have developed the additional growth initiative targets listed below. October 2024 We increased wholesale prices by 20% for Sundry, which we believe will result in approximately an additional $500,000 or more in gross margin dollars during fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. November 2024 Partnered with VaynerCommerce, a leading digital agency, which led to a 224% increase in daily digital revenues during the 45 day period (October 22nd, 2024 to December 5th, 2024) versus the prior 45 day period from September 6th to October 21 st , 2024, as noted in our press release last week. Partnered with LTK, a large influencer platform, which resulted in the recent launch of influencer videos for each our brands. Our products that were featured all sold out. We now have over 200 influencer requests per brand on the LTK platform. December 2024 Announced launch of our brand Avo on TikTok Shop and TikTok Live starting in January 2025, featuring Tik Tok influencers and limited-edition product. February 2025 We plan to launch Sundry product online only exclusives with direct-to-consumer pricing, which is expected to create an attractive product price point. This initiative is driven by Sundry's high online engagement and click through rates, which we believe will result in even higher conversion rates at lower price points. March 2025 We plan to launch Sundry on TikTok Shop and TikTok Live. Spring/Summer 2025 We plan to partner with two to three major influencers or celebrities for each brand with the assistance of VaynerCommerce. Summer/Fall 2025 We plan to implement a direct mail program with the assistance of VaynerCommerce. Closing "We have made significant progress in cleaning up our balance sheet, which should result in significantly lower interest expense and increased cash flow. Additionally, the Company has worked through over $42 million in shareholder equity and net income overhang related to goodwill amortization and interest expense from our previous acquisitions, which should only be $2.5 million over the next two years. With these items behind us, we are aiming to pursue marketing initiatives to improve our performance for our shareholders,” said Hil Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Brands Group. Forward-looking Statements Certain statements included in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting DBG and therefore involve several risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "will,” "anticipate,” "estimate,” "expect,” "should,” and "may” and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates, however, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. All statements regarding DBG's plans, objectives, projections and expectations relating to DBG's operations or financial performance, and assumptions related thereto are forward-looking statements. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. DBG undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of DBG to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: risks arising from the widespread outbreak of an illness or any other communicable disease, or any other public health crisis, including the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic; the level of consumer demand for apparel and accessories; disruption to DBGs distribution system; the financial strength of DBG's customers; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials and contracted products; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; DBG's response to changing fashion trends, evolving consumer preferences and changing patterns of consumer behavior; intense competition from online retailers; manufacturing and product innovation; increasing pressure on margins; DBG's ability to implement its business strategy; DBG's ability to grow its wholesale and direct-to-consumer businesses; retail industry changes and challenges; DBG's and its vendors' ability to maintain the strength and security of information technology systems; the risk that DBG's facilities and systems and those of our third-party service providers may be vulnerable to and unable to anticipate or detect data security breaches and data or financial loss; DBG's ability to properly collect, use, manage and secure consumer and employee data; stability of DBG's manufacturing facilities and foreign suppliers; continued use by DBG's suppliers of ethical business practices; DBG's ability to accurately forecast demand for products; continuity of members of DBG's management; DBG's ability to protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights; possible goodwill and other asset impairment; DBG's ability to execute and integrate acquisitions; changes in tax laws and liabilities; legal, regulatory, political and economic risks; adverse or unexpected weather conditions; DBG's indebtedness and its ability to obtain financing on favorable terms, if needed, could prevent DBG from fulfilling its financial obligations; and climate change and increased focus on sustainability issues. More information on potential factors that could affect DBG's financial results is included from time to time in DBG's public reports filed with the SEC, including DBG's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Forms 8-K filed or furnished with the SEC. About Digital Brands Group We offer a wide variety of apparel through numerous brands on a both direct-to-consumer and wholesale basis. We have created a business model derived from our founding as a digitally native-first vertical brand. We focus on owning the customer's "closet share" by leveraging their data and purchase history to create personalized targeted content and looks for that specific customer cohort. Digital Brands Group, Inc. Company Contact Hil Davis , CEO Email: [email protected] Phone: (800) 593-1047 SOURCE Digital Brands Group, Inc. Related Links https://ir.digitalbrandsgroup.co
Michigan aims to cap lost season by beating Ohio State
Municipal by-elections are set to be held in December, and while some municipalities have many candidates, others have none. 16 seats became vacant in recent months, including for some local politicians to run provincially. With more responsibilities downloaded onto this level of government, Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick President Brittany Merrifield said it’s getting hard to get people involved in municipal politics. “We certainly have more work than we ever had before through the local governance,” she said in an interview. “I know that personally my work has not quite doubled, but it’s certainly approaching that.” In Saint John, 10 candidates are vying for Ward 3. Meanwhile, Campobello and Tracy both saw no candidates running. At least four municipalities saw councillors be acclaimed, meaning only one candidate submitted it’s papers in those wards. This is the second time Campobello has been unable to fill its candidate seat. Mayor Harvey Matthews said it is a lot of work for a small island like Campobello for not a lot of compensation. “The government has dropped so much in our laps since amalgamation (and) that has put our taxes up now this year,” he said speaking with CHCO-TV. “Our RCMP coverage is going up considerably. It’s hard to decide to pay councillors more.” Municipalities are limited in the sources of funding they can pull from. The sole source is property tax revenue, which means any increase in the budget must come from an increase in assessment or increasing the tax rate. Matthews said the council is attempting to remove the ward-based system to potentially entice more candidates to sign up. In municipal politics, the candidate is required to live in the area they serve, and with a ward system, they must live in that ward. “Hopefully someone from one of the other parts of Campobello would run,” he said. Merrifield said people often forget that municipal government is the one that impacts your day-to-day life the most. “Public service is absolutely the backbone of everything that happens in a municipality,” she said. We’re the level or the order of government that is closest to the people.” She said it is imperative people become active in the local government, which decides things like garbage pickup and recycling, what roads and streets are repaired, how your tax rate is set, and what services you receive locally like recreation. “I think being engaged in civic government, whether it’s voting, whether it’s watching council meetings, and whether it’s serving your community, it’s absolutely one of the most important things a person can do to make sure that your community is the best that it can be,” she said. Alongside the increased workload though, Merrifield said municipal politicians are facing harassment as well. “That is an impediment to people in terms of putting their name out to serve or maybe even re-offering,” she said. “There’s been a real shift in terms of municipal staff and elected officials being subjected to negative treatment from the public and sometimes even within councils as well. So, we’re working hopefully with the new provincial government on addressing this problem that affects all orders of government.” Ultimately, Merrifield hopes that people see the value in being a part of local government. “They call it the government of proximity and that is so true,” she said. “We deal with all of those services that are so critical to your everyday life.”
Two Lorain County fire departments will receive funds to enhance their radio communications systems, according to a news release. Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon announced the recipients Dec. 11 of the 2025 MARCS (Multi-Agency Radio Communications System) Grant, the release said. The Grafton Township Fire and Rescue will receive $50,000, and LaGrange Fire and Rescue was awarded $19,768, according to the release. This grant cycle, 229 fire departments in 71 counties across the state will receive a combined total of nearly $4 million, the release said. Fire departments will receive those funds in early 2025, according to the release. The MARCS radio system provides statewide, secure, reliable public service wireless communication for first responders, the release said. The system allows first responders to seamlessly communicate with each other, as well as with other agencies responding to an incident, the release said. Costs to acquire and operate the advanced MARCS radio system technology can be significant, which highlights the importance of these grants in helping to ensure fire departments can access these valuable tools, the release said. “Funding from these grants will give departments access to MARCS radios that they otherwise might not be able to purchase,” Reardon said in the release. “Having first responders use these radios improves emergency services for departments around the state, allowing them to better serve their communities and save lives.” The MARCS Grant is available annually to fire departments with service areas of 25,000 residents or less, according to the release. Up to $50,000 per department is available through the grant. Priority funding goes to departments applying as part of a regional or countywide effort, as well as departments that show they are prepared to immediately begin using the MARCS radios upon receiving the award. Since 2020, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal has awarded approximately $20.5 million to fire departments across the state through the MARCS Grant, according to the release. For additional details on the MARCS grant as well as other grant funding awarded by the division, visit SFM’s new interactive grants dashboard at com.ohio.gov/SFMDashboard . Launched earlier this year, the dashboard allows users to easily search and explore awarded grants across various categories including MARCS, equipment, and training., the release said.Michie Stadium opened in 1924 and is renowned for its architecture and picturesque setting along the Hudson River in upstate New York, which is arguably one of the most iconic venues in college football. Septuagenarian Peter Costarelli has made the journey to the home field of the Army Black Knights football team at West Point twice over the past half century but has yet to attend the granddaddy of college football — Army vs. Navy. That will end Saturday. Costarelli is making the trip to Landover, Maryland, to take in the quasquicentennial game of the longstanding series. In layman’s terms, the matchup’s 125th anniversary. With final exams being held this week for both the cadets of West Point and the midshipmen of Annapolis, the run-up to the game for the players, coaches and student body is unlike any other college football team in the country. The college football landscape this past week saw record movement on the opening day of college football’s transfer portal. Around 1,000 FBS players entered the portal, which is nearly double the total from day one just a year ago, and it caused an analytics database that many schools use to track movement to temporarily crash, according to 247 Sports. Several quarterbacks were looking to potentially cash in on major name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals with new schools. This is a nonevent at any of the military academies as there is no NIL fund to be found. In many ways this defines just who these men are — serving not themselves, but something far greater — their nation. Strength of schedule and a season’s win/loss record can both be tossed overboard when it comes time for kickoff. For both the cadets and midshipmen, this is their rightful bowl game, college playoff, and national championship combined into one competition. Name a university where every student attends at least one game during the season. That is exactly what will transpire as every cadet and midshipman will be attending Saturday’s game in uniform — no exceptions. Moreover, none of them won’t dare take a seat either throughout the three-hour historic pregame ceremonies or during the actual game — a nearly six-hour exercise in discipline, humility and esprit de corps. Costarelli, a north New Jersey native who grew up in the shadows of New York City, is no neophyte when it comes to traveling to historic college football venues that include NFL stadiums. His list is an all-star lineup that has spanned the last two generations: Rutgers, Princeton, Beaver, Christy Matthewson-Memorial, Lycoming, Susquehanna, Redman, Columbia, Yale Bowl, Pitt, Giants, MetLife, Neyland, Orange Bowl, Montclair State, Kean, Newark Bears, San Diego Qualcomm, The Rose Bowl, L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Mustang Memorial Field, Candlestick, Memorial (Cal Berkeley), Old and new Stanford Stadium. In between the legion of tailgaters and the actual kickoff, the Army-Navy game is the most unique pregame in college football that commences at high noon with the famous cadet and midshipman walk-on. The game crowns an eclectic and detailed pregame that includes two separate flyovers, followed by the Golden Knights/Para Commandos Jump parachutists and a prayerful invocation by the host academy’s chaplain. Arriving three hours before the kickoff is the norm rather than the exception. Costarelli is no casual fan and has a penchant for recalling games, plays and statistics that would be the envy of all game historians and paste a grin upon every bookmaker. It was a marching band that captured his most memorable moment, however. “From watching the sousaphone player dot the “I” in Ohio at the Penn State-Ohio State game at Beaver Stadium in 1996. It immediately sent waves of nostalgia with me watching the OSU-Michigan game on television some 60 years ago alongside my dad when they actually showed the bands during the pregame broadcasts,” reminisces Costarelli. Costarelli’s father, Peter Sr., fought as a U.S. Marine on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands during World War II. The trek to Army-Navy for Bloomsburg, Pa., transplant has been long in coming. The closest he got to the Army-Navy experience was at their annual sprint football game he attended with his two daughters, Miari and Kiara, in New Jersey some 20 years ago. It was then that making the trek to the traditional football game on the second Saturday in December found its way to that longstanding bucket list. How could it not? Army-Navy was once a staple of the Philadelphia sports scene as it provided a neutral location between the two academies aptly played in the nation’s founding city. Today, the game is more of a showcase to assist with recruitment and is being played from the Boston area (last year) to the Washington, D.C., area (this year). The game will return to Philadelphia in 2027 with pitstops in Baltimore (2025) and in New Jersey (2026). There are plenty of rivalries across the college football plain as the list is as long as it is historic that even a casual fan is familiar with. From the farthest rivalry in Notre Dame vs. USC that spans over 2,000 miles and once drew 120,000 fans to Soldier Field in Chicago to neighbors Michigan vs. Ohio State. The lesser known but certainly significant Yale-Princeton is the oldest in college football dating back to 1873, while the most played since 1884 known simply as “The Rivalry,” has a dual Pennsylvania flavor: Lafayette vs. Lehigh. Sadly, out-of-conference rivalries like Penn State-Pitt matter very little to the powers that be. It is the commercial revenue, broadcast rights and their expanded footprints that only count. The biggest rivalry from a purely competitive and patriotic standpoint, however, is without question: Army vs. Navy. The game has deservedly earned the moniker “America’s Game” making it number one. The first meeting in 1890 saw Navy coming out on top 24-0. Navy leads the series with a 62-55-7 record. Army at 11-1 and ranked No. 22 in the final College Football Playoff rankings of 2024 won their first American Athletic Conference title last weekend, beating Tulane at West Point, and will face Sun Belt champion Marshall with a 10-3 record on Dec. 28 in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. It will be Army’s 11th bowl appearance. The Black Knights are 7-3 in bowl games and have won five of their last six. Navy at 8-3, makes its first bowl game appearance since 2019 as the midshipmen face Oklahoma in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. It will be Navy’s third appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl and its 25th bowl appearance overall. The Navy midshipmen, like the cadets at Army, have won five of their last six bowl games. Be that as it may, every living soul along the Hudson and Severn Rivers knows all too well that Army-Navy is the season’s pinnacle game. Costarelli is picking Army in what he calls their “dream season” for the cadets along the Hudson saying, “A great ground attack and defense always yields victory whether on the playing field or the battlefield and Army brings that to the stadium week after week.” Since 1996, CBS Sports has been the exclusive home to the Army-Navy game and last week announced that the network has retained their broadcast rights of the rivalry with a new 10-year deal that runs through 2038. For those whose Army-Navy bucket list remains unfulfilled, CBS Sports will broadcast the 125th edition of this American classic on Saturday from Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., kicking off at 3:10. Greg Maresca is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a Bloomsburg University graduate. He lives in Elysburg.